RIYADH: The Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) recruited 251,000 Saudis to work in the private sector this year, up 25 percent compared to 2014.
“The number brings to 772,283 Saudis recruited by the HRDF. Of the total number, males accounted for 64 percent,” said Ibrahim Al-Miqil, HRDF director general.
He said the number of recruited Saudi nationals to work in the private sector this year is the largest since 2011.
He attributed HRDF’s recruitment success to a host of reasons like cooperation of firms in the private sector by responding to job placement requests.
He said that legislation, policies and programs of the Ministry of Labor and the HRDF have also helped in the recruitment.
“These factors have contributed to the desired correction of the labor market so that more Saudis could be absorbed by companies in the private sector,” he said.
He said the HRDF has expanded its e-services and increased the number of branches to 120 in the different regions of the Kingdom.
“The HRDF’s employment program is also backed with training of new recruits so that they become efficient and competent workers,” Al-Miqil said.
He said the HRDF has different programs for both Saudi males and females. One of these, he said, is the program for teachers in private schools.
Under the program, some 23,440 Saudis will be employed, which is 9 percent of the total number of recruits since 2011. The HRDF also has a program to help companies in the private sector pay the salaries of their Saudi employees, he said.
“This HRDF program supports the employment of 9,690 Saudi employees,” Al-Miqil added.
HRDF ramps up Saudi hiring
HRDF ramps up Saudi hiring
US embassy in Riyadh attacked with drones: Saudi defense ministry
- The embassy issued a shelter in place notice for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said early Tuesday that eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near Riyadh and Al-Kharj. In an earlier statement, the ministry’s spokesperson said preliminary assessments indicated that two drones had targeted the US Embassy in Riyadh.
The incident caused a limited fire and minor material damage to the building.
Reports from early Tuesday morning described a loud blast and visible flames at the American embassy, with black smoke rising over Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, where many foreign missions are located. According to Reuters, two sources said there were no reported injuries, as the building was empty at the time of the incident in the early morning hours.
In a post published on X, the US Embassy to the Kingdom announced a security alert for Tuesday. The embassy stated it would remain closed and that all routine and emergency American Citizen Services appointments had been cancelled.
The shelter-in-place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran remains active, and American citizens in the Kingdom were advised to continue to abide by it.
The embassy also urged people to avoid its premises until further notice due to the attack on the facility. Travelers were encouraged to review the most recent Security Alerts, reconsider travel plans in case of possible disruptions, and make decisions that prioritize their safety and that of their families.
